Blake Shelton’s Texoma Shore Tops Country Albums Chart

Happy New Year … Oh, wait, that’s a few weeks off, isn’t it? On Music Row, the CMA Awards seem to mark the year’s turning. We’re provincial that way.

OK, back to reality. Blake Shelton rockets to the top of Billboard’s country albums chart this week with Texoma Shore, while Carly Pearce’s “Every Little Thing” moves into the penthouse on the country airplay/songs list after a tedious 35-week climb.

As ubiquitous as Shelton is these days, Texoma Shore bowed only at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 all-genres rankings– which is still pretty good.

There are six other new albums to report. They are Kelsea Ballerini’s Unapologetically (entering at No. 3), Kid Rock’s Sweet Southern Sugar (No. 4), the eponymous Lee Brice (No. 7), Roy Orbison’s A Love So Beautiful, backed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (No. 26).